When the world switched off lights for an hour

When the world switched off lights for an hour

Lights went off in thousands of cities and towns across the world on Saturday for the annual Earth Hour campaign, aiming to raise money via Internet for local environmental projects.

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, but the idea quickly spread around the world and hundreds of millions of people are estimated to have turned their lights off for the event this year.

The event is organised every year on the last Saturday of March.

India joined the Earth Hour movement in 2009 when "5 million Indians across 56 cities showed their support by switching off non-essential lights and saving approximately 1,000 MW of power in one hour," according to the Earth Hour India's website.

Click on NEXT to see how India and rest of the world switched off lights ...

Image: A combination picture shows the Gateway of India monument after (top) and during Earth Hour in MumbaiPhotographs: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters

When the world switched off lights for an hour

A combination photo shows people walking past the skyscrapers Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower (L-R) before (top) and during Earth Hour at the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai

When the world switched off lights for an hour

A combination photo shows the "Puente Nuevo" (New Bridge) in the day (top), at night (C) and during Earth Hour in Ronda, near Malaga, southern Spain. The Puente Nuevo is 120 metres (390 feet) high and the gorge of the river divides the city of Ronda.

When the world switched off lights for an hour

Combination picture shows the Old Bridge before (top) and during Earth Hour in Mostar. The 16th-century bridge was destroyed during the war in Bosnia between 1992-1995, rebuilt and opened again in 2004.